title: Predicting response to physiotherapy treatment for musculoskeletal shoulder pain: protocol for a longitudinal cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Shoulder pain affects all ages, with a lifetime prevalence of one in three. The most effective treatment is not known. Physiotherapy is often recommended as the first choice of treatment. At present, it is not possible to identify, from the initial physiotherapy assessment, which factors predict the outcome of physiotherapy for patients with shoulder pain. The primary objective of this study is to identify which patient characteristics and baseline measures, typically assessed at the first physiotherapy appointment, are related to the functional outcome of shoulder pain 6 weeks and 6 months after starting physiotherapy treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants with musculoskeletal shoulder pain of any duration will be recruited from participating physiotherapy departments. For this longitudinal cohort study, the participants care pathway, including physiotherapy treatment will be therapist determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study may offer service users and providers with guidance to help identify whether or not physiotherapy is likely to be of benefit. Clinicians may have some direction as to what key factors indicate a patient's likely response to physiotherapy.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chester
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shepstone
authors.forename: Jeremy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jerosch-Herold
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome